Resurgence – C.J. Cherryh

Cherryh’s ‘Foreigner’ novels are unfailingly competent, but they are getting long in the tooth. There no longer seems to be an over-arching plot that binds the books together, so new books in the series - like ‘Resurgence’ - revolve around the political crisis (or political opportunity) of the day.

The current crisis/opportunity arises when a previously-troublesome neighbor seizes a chance to do well by doing good. He offers the Dowager an opportunity to stabilize his region - by strengthening him. Negotiations ensue, and Bren is one of the negotiators. Yet the best part of the book is the subplot that revolves around Cajeiri, the nine-year-old heir, who is learning to negotiate the politically-fraught landscape of his own household and family.

Cherryh is making the depth of the background work for her. The backdrop is an entire world, and she doesn’t make one-world-one-language-one-culture simplifications. Neither does she make heroes-and-villains simplifications: Several important players mean well, but are in over their heads.

Three stars: It’s another good book in what is now a twenty-book series, and I expect book twenty-one will be good as well, but it doesn’t stand out.